 | Goethe's Faust : First Part |  |
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SCENE VI.
Witch's Kitchen.(On a low hearth a huge caldron is set over the fire. In the steam that rises from it many strange shapes appear. A female Monkey sits by the caldron, skims it, and sees that it does not boil over. The Male Monkey with a young one sits near, and warms himself. The walls and ceiling are bedecked with strange Witch's furniture.)
Enter Faust and Mephistopheles.
Faust.
Oh! how I loathe mad magic rites like these!
And dost thou promise my life's disease
By this vile dotage cured shall be?
Do I need counsel now from an old wife?
And shall this filthy cookery
Take thirty years from body and life?
Woe's me, if naught better thy skill can find,
All hope is vanished now for me.
Has Nature? Has a Spirit of subtle mind
No balsam found, not one? How can this be?
Mephistopheles.
Once more thou speakest sooth, my Friend!
There is a natural means to make thee young again;
But in another book the text is penned,
'Tis a strange chapter, conned with pain.
Faust.
I wish to know it.
Mephistopheles.
Good! a means gold cannot wield,
Magic nor medicine obtain:
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Begin to chop and delve amain,
Keep thyself and thy thoughts within
The narrowest circle with labour shrewd
Nourish thyself with simple food.
Live with thy beasts as beast, think it not robbery,
The field thou reapest should be dunged by thee;
This, trust me, the best way appears
To keep thee young at eighty years.
Faust.
I am not used to this, such work I could not stand,
Took I a spade into my hand.
This narrow life is quite unfit for me.
Mephistopheles.
Then must the witch work the spell for thee.
Faust.
Why just this Hag then do we need?
Can'st thou thyself this drink not brew?
Mephistopheles.
A pretty pastime that indeed!
A thousand bridges I'd build, while seethed the stew.
It needs not science and art alone,
But patience while the work is done.
A quiet spirit must work for years, long hours;
Time only gives the ferment its full powers.
And all things that pertain thereto
Are wondrous mysteries, you may take it
The Devil himself devised the brew;
But even the Devil could never make it.
(Looking at the Monkeys.)
Watch these fair creatures at their trade!
That is the man! and that the maid!
(To the Monkeys.)
It seems the Dame's not in the house?
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To carouse,
Out of the house
Up the chimney she's flown!
Mephistopheles.
How long stays she feasting with toothless jaws?
Monkeys.
As long as we are warming our paws.
Mephistopheles.
How findest thou this pretty pair?
Faust.
Things so disgusting I ne'er saw anywhere!
Mephistopheles.
Nay, conversation such as this,
Is just what I were loath to miss!
(To the Monkeys.)
But tell me then, accursed puppet
Why stir ye round this bubbling brew?
Monkeys.
We cook thin beggars' broth—they sup it.
Mephistopheles.
A roaring trade then ye must do.
Male Monkey.
The dice let's pitch,
And make me rich,
Let me win from thee!
My luck has been bad,
If money I had
Half-crazed I should be.
Mephistopheles.
How happy even this dolt would think himself
If in a lottery he could win pelf!
(The young Monkeys have meanwhile been playing with a large ball, and roll it out.)
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The world is this ball,
'Twill rise and fall,
And still it will roll;
It rings like glass:
Which, soon breaks, alas!
'Tis hollow inside.
Here shines the sphere,
Yet brighter here.
I'm a living soul!
My darling son,
Let it alone!
Thou must die!
From clay 'twas blown,
Into shards will fly.
Mephistopheles.
What use is that sieve?
Male Monkey
(taking it down.)
If thou shouldst thieve,
I should soon spy thy game.
(He runs over to the Female Monkey and makes her look through it.)
Look through the sieve!
See'st anyone thieve,
Whom thou dar'st not name?
Mephistopheles
(coming to the fire.)
What's in this pot?
Male Monkey.
The poor fool knows not!
He knows not the pot,
He knows not the kettle!
Mephistopheles.
Uncivil brute!
Male Monkey.
Take that mop there,
And sit on the settle!
(He makes Mephistopheles sit down.)
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(who meanwhile has stood before a mirror and drawn close to it, and then moved back from it.)
What do I see? What heavenly shape
Shows itself in this magic glass!
O Love, lend me but thy swiftest wings to escape,
And bring me where her footsteps pass!
Ah! when from this one spot I move, too bold,
Dare to her now to go too nigh,
I can but see her as though clouds dimmed mine eye!
Of womanhood the fairest mould!
Is't possible, is woman so fair?
Must I, in this perfect form reclining there,
The very essence of all the heavens behold?
Can aught like this exist on earth?
Mephistopheles.
Naturally, when a God troubled Himself six days,
Cried bravo! at last in His own praise,
Some clever work must come to birth.
Gaze now, till thou art satisfied;
I know where we can pick up such a treasure,
Happy is he whom Fortune gives a bride,
A bridegroom can take home with pleasure!
(Faust still remains gazing into the mirror, while Mephistopheles stretching himself on the settle, playing with the mop, and begins to speak.)
Here I sit like a king upon his throne,
The sceptre here I hold, lack but the crown alone.
(The Monkeys, who have been moving about one another with strange gestures, now bring Mephistopheles a crown, with a great cry.)
Oh! be so good
With sweat and with blood
This crown to glue!
(They move awkwardly around with the crown, which they break into two pieces, with which they skip about.)
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Now all's up, let it be!
We speak and we see,
We hear and rhyme too!
Faust
(before the mirror.)
Alas! what craze comes over me?
Mephistopheles
(watching the Monkeys.)
And my own brain almost begins to twirl!
Monkeys.
When happy are we,
When all things agree
Thoughts come in a whirl!
Faust
(in the same place.)
My breast begins to burn within me!
Let us but quickly get away!
Mephistopheles
(still on the settle.)
Well, now at least one must acknowledge
That real poets exist to-day.
(The caldron, which the Monkeys have left untended, begins to boil over; a great flame arises, which rushes up the chimney. The Witch comes down through the flames, with an appalling shriek.)
Witch.
Ow! ow! ow! ow!
Ye damnèd beasts! accursèd sow!
Neglect the caldron, singe your Dame!
Accursèd beasts!
(Seeing Faust and Mephistopheles.)
What is this here?
Who are you here?
What want ye there?
Who slinks in so?
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Through your carcase glow!
(She dips the ladle in the pot, and flings fire towards Faust, Mephistopheles, and the Monkeys. The Monkeys whine.)
Mephistopheles.
(who holds the mop in his hands, turns and strikes with it among the glasses and pots.)
In two! in two!
There lies the brew!
There lies the glass,
Mere sport it was,
Thou carrion, I
Beat time to thy melody.
(While the Witch, full of fury and terror steps back.)
Knowest thou me? Old Carcase! Thou scarecrow, thou!
Knowest thou not thy Lord and Master?
What hinders me from smashing now
Thee and thy Monkeys here, like shapes in plaster?
Hast thou for my red jacket no more respect?
Have I concealed my face, fair Dame?
Canst thou my smart cock's feather not recollect?
Perphaps I must even tell my name?
Witch.
My Lord, this rude greeting pardon me!
But your colt's foot I cannot see,
And where are your pair of ravens, pray?
Mephistopheles.
This time thou may'st get off scot-free;
For truly 'tis a long time now since we
Have seen each other, I must say.
Culture too, which the world licks up so fast,
Has reached the Devil himself at last;
The Northern Phantom now none sees in twilight pale;
Where spiest thou horns, and claws, and tail?
As to my foot indeed, which part with ne'er I can,
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Therefore I've worn, like many a smart young man,
False calves for years, as you may see.
Witch
(dancing.)
I'm reft of sense and reason sheer,
Do I then see Squire Satan here?
Mephistopheles.
Woman, that name I can't permit!
Witch.
Why? How are you annoyed by it?
Mephistopheles.
'Tis writ in fable-books, long stale folk-lore;
Yet men are better for it not a whit.
Freed from the Wicked One, they are wicked as before.
Call me then “Baron,” pray, the title's just as good;
Like other cavaliers, I am a Cavalier.
Thou art not doubtful of my noble blood;
The arms I bear will prove it, see them here!
(He makes an indecent gesture.
Witch
(laughing immoderately.)
Ha! ha! That's just your style, I swear,
You are the same old rogue you always were.
Mephistopheles
(to Faust.)
My friend, learn well this method, which is
The only proper way to deal with witches.
Witch.
Now, sirs, what can I do for you?
Mephistopheles.
Give us a good glass of thy famous juice,
But give us, please, your oldest brew,
Each year doubles its powers for use.
Witch.
Gladly! a flask in on my shelf,
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'Tis now free from the slightest stink;
Gladly I'll give you a small glass.
But, if this man quite unprepared should drink,
You know well he would die before an hour should pass.
Mephistopheles.
He's a good friend, with whom it will agree;
Give him a bumper of thy bree!
(Witch with strange gestures draws a circle and places curious things within it; while the glasses begin to ring, and the caldron to sound, and make music. Finally she brings a huge book and places the monkeys in the circle, so as to serve her as a reading-desk, while they hold torches. She then beckons Faust to come to her.)
Faust
(to Mephistopheles.)
Nay, tell me what all this may be?
This silly stuff, mad posturing I see
This foul repulsive conjuring,
I know it well, and hate the thing.
Mephistopheles.
Fudge! Tricks to laughter that provoke us
Don't play the harsh, and strait-laced man!
Like Doctors, she must play her hocus-pocus,
That well the juice may serve you, as it can.
(He forces Faust to enter the circle.)
Witch
(beginning to recite from the Book with exaggerated emphasis.)
This thou must ken!
From One make Ten,
Take Two off then,
Quick make it Three,
Rich thou shalt be.
The Four out score!
From Five and Six,
So the Witch speaks,
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Sealed is thy fate:
And Nine is One,
And Ten is None.
That is the Witch's One-times-One!
Faust.
The Crone, I think, speaks as in fever.
Mephistopheles.
That kind of rant goes on for ever.
I know it well, so rings the Book all through;
I have lost much time with it, skimming its pages,
Flat contradiction, it is true,
Is mystery alike to fools as 'tis to sages.
My friend the art's old, yet new, you see,
The method of every age, in sooth,
With Three and One, and One and Three,
Error to spread instead of truth.
Men prate and teach sans doubt or fear;
Who cares to meddle with a fool?
Men commonly believe, when but fine words they hear,
Some food for thought they think must lurk there, as a rule.
Witch
(stepping out of the circle.)
The lofty power
Of Wisdom's dower,
From all the world concealed,
Is given to him
Whose wits are dim,
Without his care revealed.
Faust.
Why drones she to us this nonsense drear?
My wretched skull 'twill soon be breaking
In one great chorus I think I hear
A hundred thousand mad-folk speaking.
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Enough, enough, O Sibyl without peer!
Give us thy drink and fetch it here,
Fill to the brim the cup, and quickly now;
With my good friend the draught will well agree,
A man of many grades is he,
Who has swallowed much ere this, I trow.
Witch
(with many ceremonies presents the drink in a cup.)
Down with it quick! No heel taps now!
Thy heart 'twill gladden by and by.
Thou art with the Devil thou and thou,
And wilt thou at a flamelet shy?
(The Witch breaks the circle and steps out.)
Mephistopheles.
No rest for thee! We must take flight.
Witch.
May that small mouthful well agree!
Mephistopheles
(to the Witch.)
If now I can do a good turn for thee
Thou may'st remind me on Walpurga's night.
Witch.
Here is a song that, when you sing it, I know
You are on the track of some strange transmutation.
Mephistopheles
(to Faust.)
Quick! come—I'll bear thee by translation;
Thou must be bathed in perspiration,
So that within, without the power may flow.
A noble idleness I'll teach thee now to treasure,
And thou shalt feel anon, with deep ecstatic pleasure,
How Cupid works while springing to and fro.
Faust.
Let me a moment look into the glass!
That woman's form was, ah! too fair!
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No! no! That paragon of women shall pass
Full in thy sight alive, I swear!
(aside)
By this drink in thy veins made human,
Thou'lt see a Helena in every woman.
| Goethe's Faust : First Part | |